CHACO Dog Traininghttp://www.chacodogtraining.com
Fri, 01 Mar 2019 03:31:53 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.9https://i2.wp.com/www.chacodogtraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/cropped-CHACO-Logo1.png?fit=32%2C32CHACO Dog Traininghttp://www.chacodogtraining.com
323292744605Reflexive behaviorshttp://www.chacodogtraining.com/reflexive-behaviors/
Sun, 10 Feb 2019 00:12:17 +0000http://www.chacodognewsevents.com/?p=1246Can we teach our dogs a behavior or behaviors that are so ingrained that the dog will perform with 100 % accuracy? This is what everyone apparently wants, but where do we fall short?

I am talking to one of my clients about this proposition. We are discussing recall and the ability of a dog to come back to us no matter what the level of distraction. I describe to her what I mean when I refer to a behavior being so ingrained in the dog’s repertoire that it happens when requested without a “second thought.”

The analogy I use is of a professional athlete at the top of their game. If you ask her (okay, him too) what are the steps they took for their massive tennis return or climbing a wall without falling, in perfect harmony and economy of movements, they might tell you they really do not know all the tiny decisions and steps it takes to perform at that level of finesse. Their movements have become reflexive. Here is the thing: this athlete has had thousands upon thousands of opportunities for practice. Most likely, they have also submitted to intense mind training in the form of previsualization, mindfulness and the like. Modalities that as far as we know, our dogs cannot do.

I propose that, just like the athlete that performs with such proficiency, our dogs can too. The caveat, of course, is that we must give them thousands upon thousands of opportunities for learning and practicing the behavior until it becomes a reflexive response to a given stimulus.

Take for example Ian Dunbar’s PhD, DVM “emergency sit.” The idea behind the “emergency sit” is to teach the position of a sit- defined as the dog placing its butt on the ground, in as many environmental circumstances we can muster.

We need to train so that our dog generalizes that when “x” happens and we ask for a sit- either verbally or by using a visual aid/cue, the dog sits. No matter what! Dr. Dunbar’s idea is that we can stop a dog from chasing cars, wildlife, or our dog running towards an unknown dog, if the dog has learned a very solid sit under all these set of circumstances. Not bad, huh?

My intention, in this blog post, is not to fully describe how one can achieve this, but to make us aware of what is possible first. Then decided under what circumstances we need the behavior to take place before we decide how to go about teaching it.

I have written in the past about Deuce’s compulsion for tugging and how that simple behavior has turned into my most solid avenue for a recall no matter what.

A friend of mine and I are walking our dogs off-leash when we hear dogs that belong to a home in the near distance. We had not seen the dogs approach us because of thick vegetation, but heard them loud and clear when they were just a few feet away from us. At this moment, Deuce began to trot towards the dogs. I noticed that these two are really not very welcoming! So I called Deuce back with my verbal tug cue “take it.” As he heard it, he turned around immediately and we got the hell out of there, hoping the dogs would stay behind and not come after us. The difference between Deuce’s reflexive game of tug and a dog that loves to tug and does it well, is that Deuce will tug anywhere. Most dogs will only tug when certain conditions are met: only inside the home, backyard, with this toy but not that one, only with this person, etc.

Thus the question remains: are we willing to give our dog tons of practice so that behaviors that are important to us become so well practiced and refined that they become reflexive?

]]>1246In dog training is it best to “add” or to “subtract”http://www.chacodogtraining.com/in-dog-training-is-it-best-to-add-or-to-subtract/
Sun, 20 Jan 2019 22:12:38 +0000http://www.chacodognewsevents.com/?p=1224This is indeed an interesting question. By adding I mean presenting a reinforcer as a consequence for behavior. By subtracting I mean removing a reinforcer as a consequence for behavior. In my view, the answer is that both modalities are of use when teaching our dogs. But today, I want to concentrate on adding a reinforcer instead of removing it.

Take the example and often the case of dogs jumping up on people when they greet.

Dog trainers have been teaching their clients to ignore the dog until the dog offers or responds to a cue for an alternative behavior- such as a sit. However, I will argue that this particular method of ignoring the dog is not very practical. Yes, it does work with some individuals, but I have also seen that it is too nerve wracking for dogs and people to implement. Folks get frustrated and now they are yelling at the dog and the dog is wondering why we are so nasty and refuse to say hello!

These days, I’d much rather teach people to give the dog what the dog wants, so that it can then stop jumping in an effort to reach our faces. Let’s look at the function of this behavior. Why do dogs jump to greet? We believe that it has to do with part of their genetic make-up. Other canids like wolves, greet and request food in this manner. The young pups lick the adult’s mouth to instigate regurgitation from the feeding parent. This need apparently came along with domestication. While the actual desire to reach our faces (hence the jumping!) has remained intact, our dogs are not requesting or even expecting to be fed but, to be greeted – in essence social interaction. The social component of this behavior is relevant to this post. So, what if we acknowledge this need in our dogs and we respond in kind instead of ignoring them?

Experiment a little with your own pup and your greeting routine and see what you think works best. I do not have only one way of teaching my clients on how to interact with their dog while greeting; instead I want to find out first what the dog finds reinforcing and that could double up as a greeting routine. Here are a few of my favorite ways of giving the dog what it wants and needs, while keeping the humans happy.

If your dog loves to retrieve you can keep balls by your front door. The minute you walk in, you will throw the ball for your dog to fetch. That will be your greeting. Your dog will be delighted not only because he is happy you are finally home, but also because you interacted with him. In no time your dog will expect to have you (or your guest) throw the ball for him. I have noticed that after the initial throw or perhaps after a couple of throws, the dog decides he has said hello plenty; that you are both okay and will decide to go lie down or engage in any other behavior besides a greeting behavior since that need has been met.

In my household, our dogs do come to the door to greet (okay, they might pass on greeting when is nap time) but they have been taught not to jump by requesting that they “go get their toy” – or a ball in the case of Deuce, from their toy basket. They rush to get the item and come back to us to have us throw the ball or play with the toy.

Alternatively, one can interact by throwing a piece of kibble or non-perishable treat that is kept out of reach from the dog and near the point of entry, so that the dog has to find it.

Most of the training scenarios that I teach my clients take less than a minute to perform and are highly effective. The trick, of course, is to be consistent so that we teach our dogs what to expect as we walk through the front door.

Ideally your guests will be clued in to the simple routine prior to entering the home or at least prior to engaging with the dog. Dogs do not generalize well so we must make sure they learn that the greeting procedure includes everyone (guests, cleaning crew). When folks take shortcuts, things get confusing and training plans fall apart. If instead of short cuts, we have a plan and we work the plan when greeting our dogs, we will find that they begin to relax around this social interaction. I am all for adding to what the dog wants and needs instead of always thinking of subtracting.

]]>1224Do professional trainers get fed up with their dogs?http://www.chacodogtraining.com/do-professional-trainers-get-fed-up-with-their-dogs/
Sun, 06 Jan 2019 03:23:36 +0000http://www.chacodognewsevents.com/?p=1219I was thinking about this topic on a snowy morning when I announced to John that we should go snow shooing with the dogs! We got ready and headed out the door. We were in awe of the amount of snow just outside our front door. I love outings like this, but today it was a different story.

We normally walk the dogs on leashes if next to a road. This morning however, we decided that they could be off-leash as it was a holiday and the snow filled roads most likely would prevent any cars from speeding. The dogs were happy to explore familiar, yet quite different surroundings because of the snow. As always, I practiced calling them back just to release them after coming to me. I also practice stopping on cue and waits (dog not moving forward, but staying in place or coming back to me).

I began my snow shooing adventure with gusto only to discover that I was getting really warm and thirsty as I failed to bring water with me. Now, I am not that comfortable and I am getting irritable at the dogs when they don’t respond as I want them to.

I realize that part of my frustration and my insistence that they came to me had to do with feeling somewhat vulnerable. I am athletic, but not super experienced in winter forms of exercise. I realized I was not very fast in my snow shoes should I have needed to intervene if we came across the pack of coyotes that live in our neighborhood or should Deuce have decided to chase a car; an unlikely scenario, I realized- but the mind plays tricks on us when we are not feeling on top of our game.

We continue down the wash with me gravitating between being frustrated at the dogs and having to manage them and enjoying the activity. At some point, I scolded myself for having such lofty expectations of our exploration and being a control freak. Can I just relax and let the dogs be?

At times, I am looking at the really beautiful landscape all covered in white with icicles here and there clinging to tree branches. My frustration grows because I want to stop to enjoy my surroundings and even take a few pictures, but I am still managing the dogs.

So to answer the question: Yes, even professional dog trainers (or at least this professional dog trainer) get frustrated with their dogs. The difference might be that once we get our “cool” back we know how to troubleshoot and we are very keen at management.

The same holds true not only in snowy outings with the gang, but when one does not plan a training session ahead of time and now things are not panning out. This frankly is a rookie mistake resulting in everyone paying the price.

When we get frustrated, our dogs often don’t understand why we are treating them differently. Differently not in a good way, but perhaps our voices are harsh and we even might glance at them with a hard stare, which they can only interpret as a threat.

We all can respond to stress and frustration in ways that we wish were few and far in between. However, we can still take stock of what leads to a frustrating situation or a frustrating disposition be it as we get ready to go out and have fun with the dogs or before a training session.

One piece of advice I give my clients who love to go exploring with their dogs, and especially to those that love to work out hard, is to find time for these activities away from their dogs. My example of our snow shooing adventure and my wanting to take photographs are a perfect example of a conflict of interest that might produce bad results.

Yes indeed, I can snap a picture with my iPhone while minding my dogs, but I cannot really take the time to pull out my other camera, wait for excellent lighting and decide on what makes for a great composition while minding the dogs. The solution then is to be clear about the expectations that each adventure offers and to stick to them as best one can. Taking the time to be with my dogs is of paramount importance to me, but so is enjoying a fun activity without adding more stress and becoming a nag. I learned a valuable lesson this morning: Adjust your expectations and plan for what is important so that my frustration at a less than an ideal outcome does not spill onto my dogs.

]]>1219How to teach your dog to eliminate on verbal cue?http://www.chacodogtraining.com/how-to-teach-your-dog-to-eliminate-on-verbal-cue/
Sun, 09 Dec 2018 00:39:31 +0000http://www.chacodognewsevents.com/?p=1216Have you ever traveled with your dog and really needed her to eliminate, and have found yourself doing laps around and around the hotel grounds because your dog is having such a fun time and she not ready to eliminate? Or, how about when it is raining or snowing, and your pup decides this is her favorite weather and would like to stay outside just a wee bit longer? The same holds true for young puppies that are just learning where to eliminate. The training plan below, while not technically a house-training plan, can help you teach your already house-trained dog how to eliminate on cue.

No magic potion here, just enough pairings via classical conditioning (all about associations, remember?) between a verbal cue and the act of eliminating. In addition, and in order to make the behavior “stick” and not go into extinction, you will need to present a reinforcer as your dog is learning to associate your verbal cue with the act of eliminating. Once this association is achieved – meaning your dog eliminates whenever you give the cue, you will have to reinforce (unless your dog really needed to eliminate and this serves as the reinforcer). So, continue to pay on occasion with a treat, a short game session or anything else your dog finds reinforcing. Here is how to train:

Think of the verbal cue you want to use. For example: Go potty, Do your business, etc.

Arm yourself with some tasty treats.

Take your dog out to eliminate when you think she has to do so.

Observer your dog closely; when she is ready to eliminate say the verbal cue.

Pay your dog as she is eliminating.

Continue to follow the steps above until your dog begins to eliminate just after you have given the verbal cue.

Pay for eliminating.

You can use the same verbal cue for peeing and pooping or use different cues.

Voila! No more standing in the rain or doing laps at the hotel grounds, your dog will be able and willing to eliminate because you have paired it with good stuff for her, and because after all mother nature is also calling.

]]>1216Would you say your dog is “confident”? If so, what does this really mean?http://www.chacodogtraining.com/would-you-say-your-dog-is-confident-if-so-what-does-this-really-mean/
Sat, 17 Nov 2018 02:00:15 +0000http://www.chacodognewsevents.com/?p=1206Even in the world of training, it is easy to throw around concepts with the implication that everyone else knows and agrees with the definition of said concept. But do we? When it comes to training and setting behavior goals, it is so much easier to be as specific as one can be.

It really helps when we can define concrete goals and behaviors instead. In one of my professional development outlets, the question was raised as to what is a confident dog. They proposed certain typical usages and interpretations of “confidence” in dogs. Most of the definitions proposed would fall within the lines of what most people would consider confident, but there were also as well, obtuse and frankly not very helpful examples of the usage of “confident”.

One can think, for example, of a dog that is so confident that would without hesitation approach someone and aggress. Is this a trait that we want in our confident dog? Or how about the dog that is so freakin’ confident that takes it upon itself to harass younger dogs or those that appear “soft”? But what is a “soft” dog? I regress.

The best approach when using a concept is to carefully enlist the behaviors a confident dog normally a engages in. And furthermore, to decide as stated above if all these behaviors fall as desirable behaviors for us or for society at large.

Here is the thing: If we keep to observational traits, it will be so much easier to describe the behavior (s) of confidence. One could then follow up with specific goals and training plans for our confident dog or one that could use more of it.

I would like to propose then that we think of confidence in dogs as a continuum versus a trait a dog possess because of its rearing and perhaps even its breeding. Let me explain: Deuce, my Border collie, is one of the “chilliest” dogs you could meet. So far he has never moved away from a new person or if I recall a dog that he just met. Now, my very confident Deuce struggled for a long while for no apparent reason- as he is physically capable of jumping, with jumping into my car. Perhaps this is why I have a blown disc! Months of picking him up at a weight of 50lbs of moving flesh every time he needed to get in the car!

I would argue that this is the perfect picture of a dog that lacks confidence in his ability to jump high enough and effortlessly enough, to land safely inside my car. So is he confident or not? Well, it depends. Yes, I would argue that overall he is very confident, but not so much when he needs to jump and propel himself. Another example: we were walking in town with Rio and Deuce as we approached a bridge-like-structure that had some spacing in between. Deuce buckled. After some encouragement in the form of happy talk and some treats, he was able to walk back and froth with less hesitation. Rio on the other hand, walked back and forth and would have been able to do so with her eyes closed and on her tippy-toes. Then again, I would say that Rio is in general much less confident than Deuce when it comes to meeting people and even dogs.

I teach a class that I purposely named Developing the Confident Dog. With the idea in mind that confidence is more of a continuum than a fix trait.

What I like about this approach in defining “confidence/confident” is that it not only rings more factual to me but it presents us with the notion that our dogs can learn to be more capable and willing to investigate and engage with what is novel and even scary, with more conviction and less hesitation.

Thinking of confidence as a developing characteristic also allows for keen observation of areas where our dogs could behave more confidently. Once we have identified these, we can help them out by a carefully planned behavior modification program. One that will build resilience and conviction.

Now back to my initial question: Is your dog confident? I am really hoping that you’ll take a moment before responding because you can now consider that being confident is not a “thing” or a “trait” but a way of behaving in very specific circumstances and perhaps a qualifying set of behaviors that we consider desirable.

]]>1206A useful behavior to teach your doghttp://www.chacodogtraining.com/a-useful-behavior-to-teach-your-dog/
Sun, 28 Oct 2018 13:33:34 +0000http://www.chacodognewsevents.com/?p=1202Most dogs have a fascination with food and any object that smells like food. They also have predilection for items by which they can exercise their powerful jaws by chewing on them. And then we have our very naughty pups that love to steal an item and show their owners how smart and cute they are as they run away from them hoping for a fun game of chase.

There are other circumstances in which me must remove an item that can potentially harm the dog, if swallowed. Either scenario, the best way to deal with all these situations is to teach the dog how to surrender an item voluntarily. The idea is to teach the dog that when he surrenders something that the dog is now holding in its mouth and under his possession, he will be reinforced for it. In other words, he will get something of HIGHER value for his efforts and compliance.

Time and time again, I meet with owners who have taken by force an item from the dog, only to make the dog now more resistant to giving up what he has and to mistrust that the next item will not be removed by force as well. This can turn into a slippery slope!

The best analogy I can give you is someone telling us that we must surrender our warm ready-to-consume meal because they want it. Or analogous, having someone constantly reaching into our meal without even asking if they can sample before they are diving in with their fork! I don’t know about you, but when this happens I make sure the person digging in knows that I do not like people messing with my food!

The motivation for dogs holding on to stuff is the same. They found the item valuable in some way. Now, if I have someone ask me first if they can sample my food, I would be much more inclined to agree. The same again is true for our dogs.

Dogs are genetically wired for survival (like the rest of us) and as such, they are inclined to hold on to any consumable item. For some dogs this extends to items they are not going to consume, but they like because they can play with them, engage with others (as in the case of the testy dog hoping for a hot pursuit) or even holding on to an item because it gives them a sense of safety. One of my Springer Spaniels – Chaco, loved to walk in town holding in its mouth a small carton of cream. Whenever he found one, he would pick it up and proceed to strut in delight as a passerby would asked me how I taught him that. I never did, he just decided that walking and holding such an item in his mouth felt good.

My recommendations is to practice exchanges with your dog so that when the need arises your dog will know what to do. Here is how:

Begin by giving your dog an item that he likes but not his super favorite toy, ball etc.

After a couple of seconds of your dog holding the item…

Say “drop it” or whatever verbal cue you want to use.

Wait for 3 seconds and then present your dog with something so delicious that he cannot resist having it. In order for your dog to eat this, he will have to open its mouth and by defacto drop the item.

Give the dog the treat.

You have, in essence, set things up so that your dog learned that dropping when asked produces something he also wants. After a few successful trials like this with a so-so object, begin to introduce in this same session or at another time, a more coveted item and repeat as above.

If you teach this to your young puppy, you will be so glad you did! However, this is one behavior that all dogs can learn at any point. The idea is to practice with enough items of different value for the dog so that the behavior generalizes.

Do know that the longer a dog is holding on to a precious item, the harder it is for him to surrender. Also, if your dog is in any way showing signs of aggression such as growling (when not part of play in chasing, for example) sneering, or stiffness as you try to “negotiate” a surrender it is best to diffuse the situation and not force the dog in anyway to give up the possession. This is most likely resource guarding and it can turn dangerous very quickly.

Resource guarding is normal dog behavior, but one that we must manage like ç or engage in behavior modification where we teach the dog in a more orchestrated manner with some safety mechanisms in place that surrendering is actually a good idea and that it will not be taken for granted.

Last, if you enjoy playing chase with your dog – which I do, I suggest you put it under stimulus control. Which means, that you will *ONLY * chase when you say the verbal cue for this game prior to the chasing. Your dog will learn very rapidly that his efforts in acting super cute with an item will not necessarily give way to chase.

Working with valuable exchanges is a good way to accommodate our dog’s needs and desire for keeping what they like and surrendering when the item it is not safe for them to have or when they should not have a particular item. As always, remember that our dogs must be reinforced for behavior. When reinforcement is not part of the equation, the behavior will go into extinction. That simple.

]]>1202HI-Tech in dog traininghttp://www.chacodogtraining.com/hi-tech-in-dog-training/
Sat, 13 Oct 2018 23:03:48 +0000http://www.chacodognewsevents.com/?p=1198John, my husband, is looking for a “new” truck. He is looking in lots of different places just for the “right” truck at the “right” price. He actually goes and drives a couple that appear to be promising. After one of those drives, he pronounces — in between giggles, that the one he just drove had a cassette player!! What? No CD player? No bluetooth? Airbags? Clearly, he chose to pass on this beauty and continue looking.

As he dove daily into Consumer Reports, car dealership websites, and the like, we discussed perhaps prompted by the cassette player, which “bells and whistles” were non-negotiable in the purchase of his truck. It took us but just a few minutes for both to agree on the high-tech modern technologies that the truck needed to have.

I get that not everyone is interested in high-tech. Yet, high-tech is nearly but present in most people’s lives. We are past the point of expecting technologies of all sorts to go away. As a matter of fact, most of these technologies have brought ample benefits. Especially so, I would argue, when they are used appropriately. As I like to remind myself: the phone and computer are there for me; versus me for them. This little reminder most often puts me on track on how I choose to spend my time. Especially salient, I find unplugged and get uninterrupted time.

Technologies are everywhere. Even in dog training. A practice that has very much embraced them. Most trainers that are worth a client entrusting their precious pup to, are using advance methods that are backed by hard science versus simplistic theories in explaining behavior and most importantly in shaping and modifying behavior.

So why is it then that there are still some folks out there — that almost religiously, continue to expect help from pros that subscribe to obsolete, simplistic models of “alpha” or “leader”? Can you hear me yawning?

I guess we can blame our big mammalian brain! Our brain loves patterns. We create patterns perhaps to better understand our environment(s) and keeping ourselves safe. We love to put stuff in categories – such as the Border Collie, keeping everything neatly in place! In effect, we must really make an effort to look beyond what appears to be “the facts” to dig deeper and to question claims.

Not only are scientific findings interesting, but I would argue they are also fair (to the species being studied) and very, very helpful to the ones doing the training. There has been (and we can continue to add to these numbers) over 200 animals species studied. These studies are the foundations of much of what we know about animals and how they learn, relate, feel, etc. But we still doubt the findings?

Besides the scientific findings, that are the tenets of the science of animal learning and cognition, there are also technologies that have made a big impact in the world of dogs and training.

One that comes to mind is, of course, the clicker. This is one of my ultimate favorite tools AND technologies. It is a technology because there is much more in the background than the just “click” and “pay” modicum. There is quite a bit that one must understand regarding the science of animal learning if one wants to not only use the clicker (called an event marker) well: click first, pay second, etc. But we must apply what we know about how dogs learn (or your species of choice) and then use the clicker anchored in this learning.

Another great technology is the head-halter. Think of a head-halter as driving with power steering versus without. You still need to know how to drive the car, but the steering will be much easier. The same is true for the head-halter. It can surely aid folks whose dogs are powerful, rowdy on the leash or exhibit big displays of fear/aggression such as lunging at a passerby. However, due diligence must be in place to assure that the owner knows exactly how to use this piece of equipment for effectiveness and kindness to the dog, while the dog must be taught to enjoy wearing the halter because the owner or the trainer have taken the time in paring the halter with fun and positive stuff for the dog. Enjoy is much better than “tolerate”… I have never liked “tolerating” itchy clothing. Yuck!

I would argue the same about crates. They can be fabulous in providing dogs with the safety when riding in the car, the flexibility of leaving your dog in a hotel safely in their comfy crates and a personal place for your dog to hang out. However, the notion that all dogs love crates because they are “den” animals is more fiction than fact. I would argue that all dogs must be taught that the crate is the place to be. Some will take to it a lot easier for a myriad of reasons while others will never want to be near a crate.

These are but three examples that, in my opinion, have bridge living life with a dog with technologies that make existing with a dog more pleasurable for the person, and when used appropriately, they can also be a bonus for the dog.

When it comes to training high-tech, we must also pay attention to the thinking behind the practice. No, not all training is the same. Yes, dogs are individuals and as such they do have preferences and dislikes but to claim that any dog choose to be pushed around, scared of hurt is plain stupid!

We owe it to our dogs — the ones we claim to be wo[men]’s best friend, to really understand them as a species first and as an individual second. Not only is this crucial for anyone giving advise about dog behavior, ethology and training but even for dog owners.

Truly, it is time for all of us involved to get our heads out of the sand and educate ourselves in reputable, science-based methods of animal learning as well as the understanding of canine ethology, instead of simplifying the factual known nature of our dogs just because we are too lazy to dive deeper. I guess our brain make us do this!

]]>1198Let’s put this issue to rest, shall we?http://www.chacodogtraining.com/lets-put-this-issue-to-rest-shall-we/
Sat, 22 Sep 2018 20:38:15 +0000http://www.chacodognewsevents.com/?p=1188I often get asked if it is “okay” to sleep with a dog in bed. This is one of the issues that is actually quite personal. Some people – I would say most people, love sleeping with their dogs but other folks would rather not. And sometimes the “rather nots” do not know how to get their dogs off their beds!

The hesitation of having dogs in bed stems – in my view, from the incorrect idea that dogs are statue thinking creatures and if we allow them on a higher ground (such as bed) they will take the position of the “alpha”. My answer to this line of thinking is to look for real evidence to this effect. We could begin by investigating for potential problems while allowing the dog to sleep on the bed: Is the person able to move the dog out of the way without having the dog respond by sneering, growling or worse, attempting to bite or bitting while on the bed? Is the dog preventing another pet from also sleeping on the bed?

I would instead argue for the Parsimony Principle, which states: that the most acceptable explanation of an occurrence, phenomenon, or event is the simplest, involving the fewest entities, assumptions, or changes should be applied here.

If folks then want to share their bed with their dog, they should go right ahead without any concern for their dog becoming the “dominant” or “alpha”. There is, however, a consideration when the dog resource guards the bed as his own possession. This, of course, is natural dog behavior, but it could also be very dangerous.

Dogs are wired to “protect” what they consider a resource- something that they find valuable or want. A cozy place to lie can fall under this category.

When a dog resource guards a person’s bed, it is possible for the dog, in its effort to hold on to the possession, to sneer, growl or even bite. If this was the situation, I would argue that having a dog on the bed at anytime is not a good idea.

I have worked with a couple of clients whose dogs would jump up on the bed and prevent one of the owners to get into the bed!

So what is the solution here? If people are good about following with a management protocol, and closing the door to the bedroom is, of course, the easiest thing to do.

Alternatively, one can teach a dog an “off” cue that the dog learns as if it was learning a fun game. In essence, the dog gets paid for jumping of the bed (and staying off). If the dog jumps on the bed he is asked again to get off and then he is rewarded for doing so! Viola! Problem solved.

Another sticky issue arises when one person wants the dog in bed and the sleeping partner does not. This is a typical example of how folks have different expectations and relationships with their dogs, and frankly I think it has very little to do with one person loving the dog more, and the other one loving the dog less.

]]>1188How to successfully add another dog to your homehttp://www.chacodogtraining.com/how-to-successfully-add-another-dog-to-your-home/
Sun, 09 Sep 2018 23:08:23 +0000http://www.chacodognewsevents.com/?p=1182Adding a new dog to your home could be one of the most challenging things you might have to do with your existing pup (s). But it doesn’t need to be so. If you plan ahead and follow a few simple rules, your dogs will stand a better chance of getting along and even becoming fast friends.

One of the biggest mistakes one can make (and this happens frequently) is assuming that dogs should get along because we think that this is the “polite” or social thing to do or because we like this new dog and we want to adopt him so our dog must like him too.

Dogs unfortunately for us, play by different standards. They truly could not care less about our infatuation as humans for social graces, per se. They are instead more focused on (possible) competition for resources and feeling safe. As a matter of fact, our dogs still share some traits with their wild ancestors and this is one of them. Let me explain. Wolves, contrary to popular belief, are very peaceful individuals within their pack. They indeed engage in very ritualized behaviors- used as warning to avoid a true conflict within their pack. Now, in order to keep the stability and safety within their family (yes, indeed the social structure of wolves in the wild truly resembles a traditional human family with parents taking care of the young with the help of extend family members) they must be weary of intruders, and as such, they will defend their territory ferociously.

As mentioned, our dogs, while not living in a pack anymore – even where there is cohabitating with the other dogs, since by definition a “pack” implies hunting together, still protect their territory.

With this new understanding, we can better come up with a plan so that incorporating a new member to the group is conflict free. Here are my recommendations for introducing a new family member.

To successfully introduce a new dog into your household, plan ahead and be patient. Don’t assume the dogs will instantly like each other or, if they don’t, that they will work things out themselves. If your dogs get off on the wrong paw, the relationship might not recover. Taking a little extra time is well worth the effort.

Before you get in the house.

Arrange an on-leash meeting on neutral ground. That means not in your house or yard, and with plenty of space around. Ideally, and this is important, introduce the dogs by walking on an arc versus approaching the other leashed dog straight on.

Keep the leashes loose and let the dogs approach each other calmly.

After a 2 second greet-and-sniff, call each dog away with a cheerful voice. Praise and treat the dogs.

Now take a short walk with both dogs. If, after the greeting, the dogs are a little stiff with each other, or they are pulling on leads to get another close sniff, begin the walk on separate sides of the street. As the dogs relax, gradually move closer together until they walk side by side.

In the backyard.

If possible, allow playtime in the yard. For safety, have the dogs drag their leashes until you are sure they get along well.

Should a fight break out, use noise (your voice, clanging or banging pans) to stop it. If that doesn’t work, you can also throw water at the dogs so make are you have plan ahead and have pans and water available. If these two options fail, use the leashes to separate the dogs. Never reach in between two fighting dogs.

In the house.

The first time the dogs are inside the house together, keep them on leash and keep the introduction brief, around 5 minutes.

Then confine the newcomer to a comfortable space, like a spare room, crate, or a dog-proofed, enclosed area where he can start to get used to his new home away from the attention of other family pets.

Over the next day or two, repeat the brief introductions. Keep them to 5-10 minutes and keep the dogs on leash. If a squabble breaks out, leashes make it easy to pull the dogs apart.

Make the time the dogs spend together as pleasant for them as possible. Reward friendly and playful behavior with food treats, praise, and toys.

Remember to be cautious when dispensing treats, your attention or toys since dogs competing for resources are a common occurrence. Using a piece of furniture between the dogs, a baby gate to create a bit of a visual barrier for the dogs is a good idea.

Don’t be tempted to try longer periods of time if the early introductions go well. Slowly work your way to longer and longer periods of dog-dog time.

Every now and then, confine your other dog (and any other pets) and let the newcomer explore the house by himself.

Keep break-away collars on your dogs when they are playing to avoid having them potentially tangle up which is highly distressing for any dog and an emergency.

Find other activities such as leash group walks so that the dogs share on a fun activity without the pressure to engage.

Praise all cordial and playful interactions between the dogs.

Feed your newcomer separately from other dogs. The same holds true for dispensing any other goodies that your dogs might compete for.

Keep your resident dogs schedule as consistent as possible so that they do not have to deal with too many changes at once.

With this approach, your new dog should be fully accepted as a family member within a week or two. However, If things are still not warming up after two weeks, get help from a trainer who has experience with this issue and one that uses positive reinforcing techniques.

]]>1182Why Training or Behavior Modification Fail- Part 2http://www.chacodogtraining.com/why-training-or-behavior-modification-fail-part-2/
Mon, 20 Aug 2018 13:15:28 +0000http://www.chacodognewsevents.com/?p=1176I am not a people psychologist. My comments then are based on my own experience as a dog behavior “pro” that gives advice to my clients as to how better understand their dogs (from an ethological perspective), as well as teaching and training their dogs.

My other lens of investigation is my hands-on experience as a human being living in this world. In other words, someone else can be writing about me not being compliant when the roles switch, and I am now the one taking advice in learning something new or putting something in practice. Going back to the main reason why my clients are not compliant when they have training plans and management protocols in place for them to follow, is very simple.

Okay, I will spare you the suspense and just tell you that they fail: be-cause the-y aaaa-r-e huuu-m-an!

I recently listened to an audio book which title picked my curiosity: Unfu*k Yourself by Gary John Bishop. Yeah, I know, you are now curious too! His editor is thrilled they came up with this title- I am sure. In any event, the reason I was actually curious as to what Bishop had to say was not so much because of the title, but indeed because of the subtitle: “Get out of your head and into your life.” Good one, huh?

Among the many salient nuggets of advice there where some that hit home with me. Not only because I have been “there” but because my clients are “there” a lot of the times too. I wanted to see if by listening to this book, I could find a better understanding as to why they fail to do the exercises in between sessions, or follow the specific directions or…

Could I learn to motivate them so they could reach their goals? Could I also become more understanding while still motivate them to reach their goals; which frankly, have become “my” goals with a sense of urgency and meaning?

So here is one of the nuggets that spoke to me loud and clear: YOU ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, YOU ARE YOUR ACTIONS! Boom! Right where it hurts!

I have heard of the “you are not your thoughts” maxim in the context of meditation and Buddhist thought but this motivational coach- with a very heavy Scottish accent, took it to another level. As I understand it, we can spend as much time pondering upon a problem, wishing our luck was different- better. Mustering a plan of action, blaming ourselves or our spouse (and of course the dog!) for the state of affairs, but until we do not begin to take meaningful actions to change the situation, we are not truly showing up to live our lives.

Bishop also makes the point that people who get things done and all those aaam-aa-ziiin-g individuals whom appear to have everything easy in their lives do just that: They take action.

Their actions might be devoid of “fuzzy” emotion, because at times, they frankly would rather do something else! Or perhaps they do not feel confident in their efforts, or the results their efforts might yield. But, in spite of their feelings, they move forward with the plan of action.

Teaching our dogs new behaviors as well as us learning how not to put the dog in “x” and “y” situation, for example, because we know the dog cannot “handle it” requires that we show up. Show up even when we continue to feel a bit hopeless, tired or need someone to give us support and direction along the way.

Clearly, there are a many more reasons as to why clients are not compliant. One can argue that we are just too busy, too spent, too… However, if we pay close attention we can see that all these “reasons” (frankly excuses most of the time) are all related to not taking the appropriate action. Why do we choose the multitude of activities that appear to fill every moment of the day? Why did we choose the dog that we knew we had no time for because we travel so often? Why do we make the choice of crashing in front of the TV for endless hours when we can make a choice and use that time differently- regardless of how we are feeling about it?

When we choose to identify (or define ourselves) by our actions- as the author prescribes, we are cognizant that in order to reach certain goals we MUST make choices. We must be men and women of action! Of appropriate action that supports our most precious dreams and goals. In essence, we must choose to define ourselves by our actions and much less so by our thoughts.